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Confinement Plans

I'm in my 5th month now, that's half way through my pregnancy journey so I've started planning for confinement as well as things to purchase for me and the baby. Hubs was helping out, he found us a good baby sitter, went over to her place yesterday for a survey and we have booked her for late Aug/early Sept.

Anyway here are some of my thoughts for confinement, the word confine is scary for someone who treasures her freedom like me, after all I'm not a superstitious person so I do not believe in staying in bed for 28 days but it has been a topic that many has asked because my mom or my mother in law will not be helping me during this period so it's up to me to plan ahead.

Let's start with a list of chinese confinement restrictions:1. No washing your hair for the entire confinement period.2. Avoiding exposure to "cool" elements such as cold water.3. Low temperatures from an air-conditioner or fan must be avoided too.4. Bathing only with specially prepared warm water that is infused with herbs.

The thought of not washing your hair and lying in a room with bad ventilation and wrapped from top to toe to prevent "wind" from going into your body is pretty ridiculous to me. In fact it's not going to be hygienic or comfortable for me and my baby so I've decided to do it my way.

Let's be rational for a second, do you know anyone, just name me someone who has gone through all procedure of confinement with an excellent outcome of being very healthy, with no sign of rheumatism, arthritis and weak joints as she aged. These are signs caused by aging and it effects both men and women and it varies from each individual.

Ok set aside all these scary thoughts of confinement, I am glad to have a very open minded and supportive husband. I've decided to hire a Mak Bidan (malay confinement lady) who will take care of my postnatal massage and bathing the newborn as well as helping out with washing the babies clothes (which is mainly putting the clothes into the washing machine).

Question were asked why a malay CL instead of a chinese CL. First of all I am not going to follow the restrictions of the chinense taboss, I made my point very clear and I am going to stick with it besides that I've made my own amount of research, through forums and people with experience, 70% have gone through a horrible confinement with a CL, let's just say it's depressing to have someone unpleasant to stay in with you 24-7 for 30 days, not to mention the charges they charge these days, it's not worth risking it. Plus mak bidan doesn't necessarily have to stay in with us, like an PT she comes in for just a few hours.

Here's what included in the traditional Malay practices of postnatal care:1.Body massages2.Hot compress (bertungku)3.Corset (bengkung)